News
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Amess Road fate close
The Riddells Creek community will soon have answers on the final direction of an Amess Road development that could change the face of their town. In October, the Minister for Planning referred both the application for a permit to build, and draft amendment C161 to the Macedon Ranges Planning Scheme, to a standing advisory committee…
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Garbage truck turned paddock bomb
A truck driver has walked away unscathed after his garbage truck crashed onto its side in a residential street in Kyneton last Friday. The accident occurred shortly after 7am at the bottom of a hill in Riverwalk Boulevard, when the truck careened through a fence and came to a stop in a paddock. The Midland Express understands…
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Rocket sparks grassfire
An exploding rocket started a fire that quickly burned through five hectares at Kyneton on March 30, triggering a number of community warnings. A group of Monash University students were conducting an experiment with rocket engines when the grassfire took hold. Emergency services were called to the scene at a property on Baynton Road about…
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Wildlife seized at Kyneton
A large number of native and exotic reptiles, birds and mammals were seized from a Kyneton business last Thursday. Officers from the Victorian Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police raided the disused factory site in Beauchamp Street discovering the animals inside a large shipping container. About a dozen officers and wildlife experts took about eight hours…
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“Not Melbourne, not Brunswick”
Retaining Kyneton’s historic charm and country identity will be key as Macedon Ranges Shire Council pushes ahead with future design plans. Councillors were adamant that Melbourne-style planning was not fit for Kyneton when adopting the draft Kyneton Urban Design Framework with changes last week. The document is a strategic plan for streetscape and public realm…
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Tax confusing and ‘haphazard’
Macedon Ranges’ accommodation providers have been navigating new obstacles since the Victorian Government introduced its Short Stay Levy in January. The 7.5 per cent tax applies to short stay accommodation (under 28 days) with its revenue to support social and affordable housing. The tax also aims to encourage more people to use their properties as…
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Council seeks answers on school site
The Old Kyneton Primary School site remains fenced off one year on from its scheduled redevelopment completion date, and Macedon Ranges Shire Council is seeking answers. The Victorian Government invested $12 million for the Baynton Street site for community use with a gallery space with areas for community groups by March 2024. Speaking at council’s…
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Council to join service centre fight
Macedon Ranges Shire Council has slammed plans for a Calder Freeway service centre at Woodend and will join petitioners to fight it. Plans include three fast-food restaurants with drive-throughs, 174 parking bays for cars/trucks/caravans, internally-illuminated signage, and construction of two new on/off freeway ramps. Woodend residents have launched a campaign and petition to stop the…
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Global star to shine
Castlemaine’s undisputed Weimar kabarett punk provocateur Bernie Dieter is set to take over North Melbourne’s historic Meat Market with ‘Club Kabarett’ from this Thursday. Dieter, hailed as an ‘electrifying cross between Lady Gaga, Marlene Dietrich and Frank-N-Furter in sequins’, is renowned for her riotous original songs, immense vocal talent, and flair for debaucherous mayhem and…
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Making change happen
Fresh from ‘Climate Action Week’ held at the University of Technology in Sydney, Castlemaine is about to get a dose of global action with a twist. FutuResilience Events is bringing two exciting workshops to town, strengthening sustainability action with the globally recognised Inner Development Goals Framework. First up, as part of the Women’s Climate Congress,…
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A spectacular start!
Castlemaine was alive with excitement Saturday night as the 2025 Castlemaine Fringe Festival kicked off with a bang! The Street Party Spectacular was attended by more than 4000 festival-goers. The Movement Zone dancers (pictured) were among the local talent to feature. Photo: Diana Domonkos
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Legacy project completed
After more than a decade closed to traffic, the Vaughan-Tarilta bridge (or low-level crossing as the experts call it) has been replaced. The original timber bridge crossing the Loddon River was built in 1868. The closure of this vital crossing has caused long detours and limited access for locals. The replacement concrete crossing came with…